Menu

Keep It Simple

Remember when you first got interested in running? It seemed so simple, right? Lace up your shoes and go.

But then you started learning more about running and getting “all the things.” The questions started:

What shoes should I wear? What should my pace be? What should my heart rate be when I run? Am I a heel striker or a midfoot runner? Is my GPS watch tracking my pace, distance and elevation correctly? Is my cadence high enough? How many times per week should I run?

Those are all questions I have asked myself over the years plus many, many, many more in my running life. It can be overwhelming. It can be exhausting. It can feel like it’s a losing battle because you are never doing enough or doing it wrong according to all the supposed experts.

Running, and exercise in general, should not be complicated. It should not stress you out. More days than not, I like to keep it simple. Life is complicated enough. Running should not add to the complication.

I was chatting with a newer client who wanted to get back to exercise after some time away. She was all in and was ready to bust out of the gate full speed ahead. “What should my heart rate be?” What should my pace be? and a million other questions. I admired her excitement for getting back to exercise but I had to have her pump the brakes.

Keep it simple.

Let’s get you moving first. Let’s not worry about pace or striving for a target heart rate so she can get into the “fat burning zone” – which to be honest, opens up a whole new can of worms.

Movement will lead to more movement and that’s what we want.

The rules of running are quite simple – put one foot in front of the other. It’s something we were born to do. When did running become complex?

I’m completely guilty of making running more complicated. I want to run faster, further and overall be a better runner. I spend a lot of time reading about running and chatting with fellow friends who are runners. I love it and want to learn more about it. There’s nothing wrong with that.

On the flip side, I’ve been wrapped up in thinking more is better because this person on social media does it or because a book told me I needed to run this much or eat like this to achieve my goals. Making things more complicated usually resulted in a training plan that didn’t work for me, eating stuff I didn’t like and ultimately an injury. That’s not to say that every tidbit I pick up is bad. It maybe wasn’t the right one for me or a case of too much, too soon for my body. Every body is different. There is no one size fits all, even in running. Don’t get me started on all the studies about running. Most of them are on men so why are women following the same running “rules” as men? Contrary to some beliefs, women aren’t just smaller men.

Running is a billion dollar industry. There’s always something new coming out that will make us faster because who doesn’t what to be faster? I mean, look at the Nike Vaporfly. At your next road race, take a look at how many people are sporting the Vaporfly just because Eliud Kipchoge’s sub 2 hour marathon. Does the average runner need a $250 pair of shoes? Ummm…no.

Don’t run the same distance or speed everyday. Have easy days and hard days.

Run by effort not a number that’s on your watch.

Strength train the whole body at least 2 times per week. Don’t think you have to be doing an elaborate, advanced routine. Keep it simple with exercises for all the major muscle groups of the body.

Because really, all you need in running is to just keep moving.

I don’t have the secret sauce to running. What I do know is that I don’t want runners to feel that running is complicated. I want to see more people running. To be honest, I just want to see more people being active.

I agree with a lot of what you say here! Having just come off of ‘just running’ , I realized how nice it was to just lace up and go! But I do like training too, I think it’s all about balance. Social media definitely ups the pressure, tho!

I actually love the training part more than racing. I’m all about the whole process. My point is that I think there’s so much info out there that sometimes we get wrapped up in what the experts say we should be doing that we forget the basics are needed to build a strong foundation. Don’t put the carriage before the horse type of thing.

I agree with you completely! I sometimes prescribe complicated workouts for variety (especially for runners who like a challenge or something mentally engaging), but more often than not, the simplest workout is the best.
The new shoe technology really does make things seem more complicated than they are. Pick shoes that are comfortable. No need for carbon plates! If anything, I’ve seen runners have better luck when they go back to their basic shoes.

There’s nothing wrong with more complex workouts. I just don’t think it’s for everyone, especially a new runner or someone who is feeling stressed about what they “should” be doing to be a good runner. It can be overwhelming for sure!

Complex workouts aren’t my thing for sure. I stick to running and swimming. Trying to live this “fit mamma” lifestyle really has helped me accomplish my weight loss goals that I never would’ve guessed possible. Thanks to the tips in this blog, and https://mmini.me/AchieveWeightLossDreams, I’ve not only had success losing weight, but KEEPING it off. These were my two biggest tools for my lifestyle transformation! Hope this helps others!

I'm an ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist and RRCA Running Coach, who has a love of all things running, yoga, and fitness. I like to experiment in the kitchen and share healthy recipes for the whole family. Join me as I navigate life as a Happy Fit Mama!

Search for:

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Email Address

Recent Posts

Disclaimer:

Even though I’ve had plenty of experience with healthy eating and exercise, I am not a medical doctor or registered dietitian. I am an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist (CES). This is my personal blog. These are my opinions only. Articles are researched before they are written. I always try to provide the best information possible. Always consult your physician before starting any exercise program.